About Schengen Rules for Tourist Visa and Rules for Business Visa

The Eiffel Tower in France, the Colosseum In Rome, the Alps in Switzerland and more such enticing travel destinations are scattered all over Europe. Planning a single trip to different countries in Europe, leaves travellers with a fundamental question, “Do multiple countries, mean multiple Visas? “. Travelers can sit back and relax, as they do not have to manage multiples Visas, but just one Schengen Visa that covers most of the travel destinationsin Europe.

The Schengen Visa grants free movement across the 26 European countries under the Schengen area. (European countries that currently hold a place in Schengen: Wikipedia). These countries do not perform any border control checks such as immigration/passport verification when travellers’ cross internal boundaries. A treaty to abolish internal borders in Europe was signed and passed in 1985 in the town of Schengen, Luxembourg.  And that’s how the Schengen Visa got named!

Even if Schengen Visa is a single Visa that grants privilege to enter and move in the Visa-Free Zone, it has to be applied with one of the Schengen countries. Here comes the trickiest question on Schengen Visa, with the most contradicting answers on the Internet: With travel planned across multiple countries, which country should one apply for a Schengen Visa?

Schengen Rules for Tourist Visa

Rule 1: Apply for your visa from the country where you are staying for thegreatest number of nights. (As hotels stays are measured in nights, it is easy to count your length of stay in terms of nights)

Rule 2: After applying rule 1, in case of a tie between two or more countries with respect to the length of stay, apply for your visa from the country in which you are entering first (out of the countries which have a tie due to the same length of stay)

For instance. If you plan to stay in France and Spain each for 5 days, but amongst those, France is the first country you decide to visit first, apply for your visa at the France Embassy.

Schengen Rule for Business Visa

Rule 3: If you plan to explore neighbouring countries in addition to your business trip, then your period of stay does not matter. Apply for your visa from the country which you are visiting for business purpose. 

Our previous blog on ‘Schengen Visa Rejection Letter – Explained’ throws light on possible reasons for rejection of Schengen Visa. Schengen visa application is oneof the stringent visa processes. This makes it a visa with higher rejection chances.  Travelers should recognize this fact, understand the reasons for rejection and then proceed for visa application, thereby avoiding losses due to visa rejection.

The earliest time to apply for a Business visa is three months before your planned trip and the latest is at most 15 working days before you intend to travel to Europe for business purposes. The best time to apply for a Business Schengen visa is at least three weeks before your business trip to Europe.

How to Get a Dummy Ticket for a Schengen Visa Application?


You can obtain a dummy ticket for a Schengen visa application directly with any of the airlines that offer this service. However, not many airlines offer this service which means you will have to pay for a return flight up front. If you find an airline which is happy to issue a dummy ticket, most specify that the document is only valid for 24-48 hours. Schengen visa applications take anything from 7 – 14 days to be processed, so this small time period in which the dummy ticket is valid is just not practical.

A better alternative is to use a verified travel agent like Schengen Visa Itinerary who provide this service, specifically for Schengen visa applicants. Schengen Visa Reservation can help you book a dummy ticket for a Schengen visa which can later be converted into a confirmed ticket or cancelled if your visa application gets rejected. This will potentially save you thousands of dollars on your air ticket, since dummy tickets booked through our website are valid for at least 2-3 weeks.

To assist you through this process smoothly, our team at Visa Reservation has created several packages to suit the needs of different kinds of travelers. These packages not only include flight reservation for visa, but other required documents too, such as Hotel Booking for Visa Application, Travel Insurance for Visa Application. These packages are suitable for travelers looking for any of the above-mentioned flight itinerary types. So, whether you are planning to visit a single country or multiple countries in the Schengen area, we can take care of all your flight reservation needs. In addition, if you are planning on visiting more than one country, there is no need to create separate flight itineraries, for a nominal fee we can put together a suitable package which covers every little detail of your trip.

With regard to flight itinerary for visa, Visa Reservation, offers three kinds of flight itinerary reservation options for you to choose from:

1.         Normal delivery – receive a customized flight itinerary within 24 hours

2.         Priority delivery – receive a customized flight itinerary within 6 hours

3.         Rush delivery – receive a customized flight itinerary within 1 hour. You can speak with the support representatives on how to get this done

Simply pick a delivery option and we will get the job done for you quickly and efficiently. Let us do all the hard work, so you can enjoy the countdown to your trip!

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for your Schengen visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1.         Visit the Schengen Visa Itinerary website to choose the right package

2.         Submit the travel details and make the payment online

3.         Receive flight itinerary by email

What exactly is flight itinerary for visa application and What Embassies Say About Flight Itinerary for Visa Application?

When applying for a visa one of the main requirements you’ll need is a valid roundtripflight itinerary for visa application or confirmed flight reservation. However, it isn’t practical to book flights right away without the guarantee that you’ll have your visa approved. It’s good to be optimistic, but in reality, what if your application gets denied? Imagine all that money that will go to waste just because you paid fully for a flight ticket right away without being sure.

It’s too risky to lose over $1000 or more for booking flights you are not going to take.

So how should you book a valid flight itinerary without paying the flight ticket? Get a flight reservation for visa application instead.

Basic Visa Requirements Overview

If you’re applying for a Schengen Visa, a US Visa, a Canadian Visa, a Japan Visa, or any other visa; you’ll surely encounter the following common requirements:

•           Your passport

•           Proof of means of subsistence (through bank statements)

•           Proof of accommodation (hotel reservations)

•           Proof of roundtrip flight reservation

•           Proof of travel medical insurance

•           Visa Fee

•           Filled up application form

•           Daily travel itinerary

•           Photos

Remember: paying for an actual plane ticket just to fulfil this visa requirement is a BIG NO-NO. It’s a huge mistake many people make. We get emails all the time about clients who got a visa rejection and was ignorant enough to book actual flights they can’t take anymore. Don’t be that traveller! Embassies even advice that it should be a reservation of a return flight only.

What Embassies Say About Flight Itinerary for Visa Application

If you’re going to check what embassies require in their official websites, you’ll notice that they make it a point for the applicant to avoid buying flight tickets.

Proof of a reservation of a return flight is needed for the application and tickets are to be presented upon collection of the visa. It is strongly recommended not to purchase a flight ticket unless the visa has been granted. –  German Embassy

No assurances regarding the issuance of visas can be given in advance. Therefore final travel plans or the purchase of non-refundable tickets should not be made until a visa has been issued. – US Embassy

Roundtripair ticket booking record and proof of a hotel reservation, or an invitation letter issued by a relevant entity or individual in China. – Chinese embassy

Proof of Departure. A copy of detailed flight itinerary to Canada from an airline or a travel agency or showing entry and departure from Canada. – Canadian embassy

Airplane or train reservation for the entire travel in the Schengen zone or proof of participating in an organized tour + photocopy. – French Embassy

Travelitinerary (travel reservations to and from Schengen area in your name, not aticket). Note: make travel reservations which you can cancel. – Dutch Embassy

The ticket should prove that the stay in the Schengen area does not exceed 90 days. It is recommended not to buy the ticket until the visa is granted. – Spanish Embassy

Photocopy of Flight Reservation – please note it is not required to pay for/buy the ticket until a visa has been granted – Danish Embassy

Is Schengen Visa Travel Insurance Needed? Why do you need travel insurance for visa application?

Although many people don’t initially think of getting visitors insurance when going on a trip, it is extremely worthwhile in the long run. It’s easy to think “why should I get Schengen visa travel insurance, what could possibly go wrong” until something does go wrong, and you find yourself with a hefty bill in case travel medical insurance was not purchased. If you need a Schengen visa for your trip you may find that you have to get Schengen visa travel insurance in order for your application to be accepted. But what if you purchase insurance and your visa application gets rejected, what happens then? Throughout this post, we will explain exactly what you need to get, how to purchase travel medical insurance for visa application and how it works.

Travel insurance:

Travel insurance or travel medical insurance is a policy that you purchase prior to traveling that, in the unlikely event of you landing in the hospital or at the doctors, your fees will be covered by your travel insurance policy or travel medical insurance. Rather than you having to pay the bill, the company in which you bought your policy through, pays it. Depending on the type of policy you purchase you could be covered for more than just medical fees. Mosttravel medical insurance policies also cover a selection of travel disruptionsas well as medical needs, the following are the likely areas that a visitor’s insurance policy would cover you for

•           Airline cancellation

•           Lost baggage

•           Flight cancellation due to weather

•           Accidental death/injury

•           Stolen travel documents

•           Hospital fees

•           Medicine costs

•           Emergency Evacuation

Why do you need travel insurance for visa application?

There are many documents that are needed for a visa application, in most cases travel medical insurance is one of them. The embassies need to see proof that you will be covered whilst you are away as fees and medical bills can easily run into the thousands and tens of thousands of pounds very easily. If you are not covered and do not pay your outstanding medical fees then the authorities will have to spend a lot of time, money and resources to track you down as well as the hospital being at a loss.

Things you should know about visitor’s insurance for visa

Whenapplying for travel insurance for visa you will need to disclose any healthconditions e.g. cancer, diabetes, asthma, etc this will then ensure you receive the correct insurance policy that will fully cover you. You may find that, if you do have a health condition, your insurance cover will be more expensive. This is because you have a higher chance of needing medical assistance during your trip. If you purchase travel medical insurance and do not disclose any medical conditions that you are aware of, your insurance will become invalid if you result in needing medical treatment. You will end up having to pay the bill and you will not be covered by your travel insurance. Most policies will cover pregnancy in the first trimester as long as your doctor has deemed you safe for flying.

How to Apply for A Schengen Visa For Tourists and ETIAS EU waiver visa vs. Schengen visa: Which one should you get?

A tourist visa serves as an authorization to citizens of other countries for entering a respective country for the sole purpose of traveling within the designated area of the country either on a pleasure trip or while on a visit to their relatives in that country. Anyone holding a tourist visa isexempted from holding citizenship to visit that country or their relatives inthat country.

Certain limitations are, however, applicable in case of issue of a tourist visa through the process of obtaining one is far simpler compared to that of a business visa. A tourist visa allows an individual to reside in a country for a maximum period of 3 months or 90 days unless stated differently in the visa. The visa holder does not have the right to seek employment in the country for the period unless mentioned otherwise in the visa.

ETIAS EU waiver visa vs. Schengen visa: Which one should you get?

With the new laws coming and going, EU has been one of the top destinations to visit in the world, and because of that, the borders are tightening up and becoming stricter when it comes to tourist control. With that said, do you qualify for an EU waiver visa or should you apply for a Schengen visa?

Here’s a quick description of what is the difference between ETIAS and a Schengen visa:

•           ETIAS EU waiver visa – regarded as a way to tighten the borders in EU, ETIAS is similar to USA ‘s ESTAS waiver visa, which you can apply online. ETIAS is an electronic system that keeps track of visitors from countries that do not need a visa to enter the Schengen zone. You can apply for an ETIAS EU waiver visa online if you’re part of the 60 countries who are eligible for visa-free entry to Schengen and EU areas.

•           Schengen visa – If you’re not part of the 60 countries who can obtain a visa-free entry to Schengen zones, then youwould need to apply for a Schengen visa in order to travel to any EU countriesthat require this specific visa from your country. You would need to apply for this visa before you book your trip to Europe, and below is the detailed guide on how to obtain it. Once you have a valid Schengen visa, you can freely roam around all countries that are part of the Schengen zone (you can see the list below).

For more information, please visit: https://www.schengenvisaitinerary.com/

What is a Hotel Booking AND How to Get Flight Itinerary and Hotel Booking for Visa Without Paying Actual Ticket?


On the other hand, a hotel booking or reservation is done in most cases to approve an empty room kept for you until your arrival. You do not need to pay a full price in order to book that room, just a small amount of money in order to get a document from the hotel that confirms that you have a saved room in the hotel for specific dates.

The hotel booking confirmation document shall contain the following details:

         Name and surname of person who booked the room

         The address of the hotel

         Contact details of the hotel as phone number, email and fax

         The dates for which the room has been reserved

You will be charged with a small amount of money for booking the room. However, this is better than fully paying the room, despite that you do not know whether you will be granted with a visa for sure or not. In case you do not and you have paid your stay, you will lose all your money. Whereas, despite of the fact that there are hotels that offer reimbursement in case of cancellation without charging you anything, these hotels are 5 to 10 times more expensive than normally.

In many cases the embassies simply ask for a Travel Itinerary, which should consist of both, the Flight Itinerary (or the itinerary for other means of travel as applicable), the hotel booking  as well as a list of the places you will be visiting and the dates when you will be visiting them.

Get the Flight Itinerary and Hotel Booking for Visa Without Paying Actual Ticket:

Visa application can be quite challenging especially if this is your first time applying for a visa. Of course, some countries are more difficult than others especially when you are applying for your visa from the so-called developing countries. Take the UK, USA, and the SCHENGEN area for an example. In most cases, they will ask you to go and get your flight itinerary and hotel booking before they can issue you visa. Getting a flight itinerary or hotel reservation is not a guarantee that you are going to get the visa. Your application can still be denied even after meeting this requirement. Thus, it is important that you don’t pay for an actual flight ticket or for the hotel in case your application is rejected.

A lot of people have no idea how to overcome this problem. In most cases, some people do it wrong. For example, some get a flight itinerary only for their departure date and not the date they will come back to their country. Actually, what you need is a flight ticket for the round trip since the visa officer expects you to come back to your country at the end of your stay.

Unsurprisingly, a lot of people have no idea what flight itinerary means or how to get one without actually paying for it. If you find yourself in this problem, then you are in the right place. In this article, you will learn everything you need about getting a flight itinerary and hotel booking for your visa without paying for it. Keep on reading to find out more.

How to apply for a tourist Schengen Visa?

A Tourist Schengen Visa permits third-country nationals enter into the SchengenArea for a maximum of 90 days within a 6-month period, under the purpose of traveling or visiting Europe for pleasure.

This visa guide will walk you through all the things you need to know and do in order to obtain and successfully get your Schengen Visa! Read it now to learn more.

Europe is expensive; thus, they need financial proof that you can, where I got a placement in a College to become a Chef.

The process was simple and straightforward and not much different than the Schengentourist visa other than a few other important documents were asked (i.e., School acceptance letter). That said, the basic yet most important value we’ll tell you in this post is the fact that you need a basic understanding of the following:

•           The purpose of your travels

•           You need to be absolutely clear about your itinerary and agenda. Make it as detailed as possible if you’re drafting this!

•           Financial stability

•           Europe is expensive; thus, they need financial proof that you can travel at your own expense and won’t need to seek work in order to sustain your travels.

•           Financial support from other people should also be declared.

•           and completion of the required documents

•           It is absolutely crucial that you meet all the requirements the embassy is asking from you!

•           We advise that you check and call your local embassy and ask for a detailed instruction as to what sort of documents they’ll need from you. Some embassy is a tad different than the other, and depending on where you’re from, the required documents can vary from country to country.

It is important that everyone who tries to apply for a visitor visa should understand that no embassy will ever guarantee you approval making this article aboutSchengenvisa for tourists a mere guideline to walk you through every thing you need to complete the application process.

To complete your Tourist Schengen visa application successfully, follow these steps:

1.         Make sure you qualify for a Tourist Schengen Visa. Due to the fact that there are a several Schengen visa types, you must make sure that the visa you need is this one.

2.         Find out where you need to apply.

3.         Figure out the best time to lodge your tourist visa application.

4.         Collect the required documents for a Tourist Schengen Visa.

5.         Make an appointment at the embassy of your destination country. You may have to make this appointment online or in-person at the embassy / consulate / visa center.

6.         Attend the visa interview.

7.         Pay the tourist visa fee.

8.         Wait for a response on your visa application.

What is Dummy Flight Ticket? How can you check difference between Dummy flight tickets and fake flight tickets?

A dummy flight tickets is simply a flight ticket showing actual details of flight journey which is confirmed but not yet issued to the customer. Unlike a fake ticket, a dummy flight ticket holds a valid PNR which are verifiable directly on Airline websites for which you have hold the booking.

Difference between Dummy flight tickets and fake flight tickets:

A dummy flight ticket is basically a temporary hold ticket with a valid PNR while a fake flight ticket does not have both PNR and e-ticket number.

Now we have understood what are dummy flight tickets and how are they different from fake or actual tickets, let’s move on to whether are they accepted for Schengen visa applications?

Yes, Dummy flight tickets are officially accepted for Schengen visaapplication, however, some countries within Schengen zone where you are applying your visa, may require you to furnish actual flight confirmed reservation, so it is very important to select the right itinerary and right embassy at the same time.

Some examples of countries among Schengen area accepting dummy or temporary hold flight booking.

1.         Finland: officially ask for Travelplan/Itinerary, so a dummy ticket would suffice that.

2.         France: officially ask for Reservation of a return ticket or travel itinerary, dummy tickets work here.

3.         Estonia: officially mentions that tickets should be bought only after visa has been issued.

4.         Luxembourg: officially mentions either reservation or tickets. (so, hold ticket reservation works)

5.         Netherlands: specifically mentions they don’t need a ticket (dummy flight ticket works)

These are just few examples of embassies which already accepts dummy flight ticket options, however, depending on your itinerary, you may have to find if the respective embassy you are putting your application, ask for only Flightreservation or an actual flight booking! (as it may differ from country to country within Schengen states).

Now, we know that dummy flight tickets are widely accepted for visa applications, let’s find out how to find and look for while buying these dummy tickets.

IS TRAVEL INSURANCE NECESSARY IN EUROPE? WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I NEED TO TRAVEL TO EUROPE?


 If you need a visa for traveling to the Schengen Area (you can check it out on iVisa), you will need Schengen Visa insurance to apply for it. Take into account that not all countries are required to have a Schengen visa to visit the Schengen area. We will talk about which countries are required and which are not in the following section.

But before jump in, let’s check why even if you don’t need a Schengen Visa, it can still be very helpful to buy Europe travel insurance. Here are a few of our own experiences that show how useful it can be to have travel insurance for Europe:

•           I was studying English in Ireland with my cousin when he had to have emergency surgery for appendicitis. His insurance covered all the costs upfront.

•           My brother was on a study tour in Italy when he came down with gastroenteritis and spent three days in the hospital. His travel insurance for Europe covered the costs of his hospitalization.

•           On a trip to Germany, my suitcase never came. Luckily, my Europe travel insurance covered all my clothes and basics that I needed for the trip.

•           Some years ago, I had a trip to Ukraine planned. For family reasons, I had to cancel it, and since I didn’t have Schengentravel insurance, I lost the money for the flights.

•           My mom’s bag was stolen in a bar in London. She didn’t have travel insurance for Europe and lost her cell phone, wallet (with ID and credit cards inside), and camera.

As you can see from the examples above, all kinds of unexpected things could happen to you while you’re traveling. It’s always better to have the security of travel insurance for Europe rather than to risk learning your lesson the hard way.

WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I NEED TO TRAVEL TO EUROPE?

The answer to this question will largely depend on if you’re traveling to a country that is included in the Schengen Area or not. Keep in mind: not all European countries are part of the Schengen Area. Some European countries are partof the Schengen Area, some are part of the European Union, and some are part of both.

Here’s the difference between Europe, the European Union, and the Schengen Area: Europe is a continent that comprises 50 different countries. Within that continent, different countries have various agreements and accords with each other. The European Union is made up of 28 European countries that have formed a political and economic union. On the other hand, the Schengen Area, which consists of 26 European countries, is a zone where all of the member countries have gotten rid of internal borders. This means that once you’ve entered the Schengen Area, you can move freely from one country to another.

WHAT COUNTRIES ARE IN THE SCHENGEN AREA?

Here are the 26 countries in the Schengen Area: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

From those countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland don’t bellow to the European Union

WHAT COUNTRIES REQUIRED A SCHENGEN VISA TO VISIT THE SCHENGEN AREA?

If you are not one from one of the next 62 countries, you will need a Schengen visa: Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Macau, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Montenegro, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu and Venezuela.

However, in 2021, the European visa situation will change. Travelers from certain countries will need an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System), while others will need a Schengen Visa. The whole situation can be rather complex and confusing, so to help you, below is an explanation of the Schengen Visa vs. the ETIAS.

Flight booking and travel itinerary for a Schengen Visa; Why are they required?

Introduction

A flight booking and travel itinerary are key documentary requirements for a Schengen visa. In this article, we discuss the relevance of these documents in an application for a Schengen visa. Depending on the purpose of your visit, your visa may be refused if you fail to submit either of these documents.

What is a Travel Itinerary?

Anitinerary is simply a document that details your travel plans. It usually provides details of hotel bookings, flight arrangements, and daily activities or schedules for the duration of your stay. An itinerary is only required for journeys undertaken for tourism or private purposes. It must usually specify the places you intend to visit by way of schedule of activities.

Article 14(1)(a) of the Visa Code states an applicant for a Schengen visa shall present documents indicating the purpose of the journey. Further, Annex II (A)(3)(b) of the Code states that for journeys undertaken for tourism or personal reasons, the applicant must submit documentation relating to their itinerary. The Visa Code describes itinerary to include “confirmation of the booking of an organised trip or any other appropriate document indicating the envisaged travel plans.” Bookings on organised trip or tour guides, and tickets for entry into tourist sites could be submitted as evidence of itinerary.

A key requirement of an itinerary is that it must be plausible. The schedule of activities must be arranged in a manner as to make your plans credible. For example, it may be more reasonable to visit tourist sites that are in close proximity to one another on a particular day, rather than a disjointed schedule of visits that are miles apart from each another and lacks coherence. If your itinerary is implausible or disjointed, this may raise doubts on the credibility of the purpose of your visit and may cause your visa to be refused.

Another requirement is that the duration of the itinerary must be consistent with your travel dates. Specifically, it must be consistent with thetravel dates as shown on the visa application form, flight booking, hotelreservation, and travel medical insurance. If your itinerary shows discrepancies with travel dates shown on other documentation, your visa may be refused.

What is a Flight Booking?

A flight booking is a document that shows that you have booked a place on an airline to travel at a future date. It specifies your departure and return dates, and any connecting flights, if applicable. You must submit a flight booking regardless of the purpose of the visit. You can make a flight reservationeither by yourself or through an agent.

Article 14(d) of the Visa Code states that an applicant shall present information enabling an assessment of their intention to leave the territory of the Member States before the expiry of the visa. And Annex II B (1) of the Visa Code lists “reservation of or return or round ticket” as one of the documentations that may be submitted in proof of intention to return. A flight booking is therefore a key documentary requirement for a Schengen visa. You must consider this information when making a flight reservation either by yourself or through an agent:

o          The document must specify your name;

o          It must clearly show your arrival and departure dates and times;

o          It must show the flight name and a valid reservation number;

o          It must show details of any connecting flights;

o          It is must show a return reservation. A one-way reservation will not meet the requirement.

o          Your travel dates must be consistent with the dates on your visa application form or other supporting document. If there are discrepancies, this may lead to a refusal;

o          Do not buy a ticket unless the Embassy specifically requests you to do so.

Conclusion

A Schengen visa is generally a documentary application. However, it is not sufficient to provide documentation merely because they are required. Keeping these details in mind may save you time and unnecessary expense that may result from a refusal.

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